The primary goal of this site is to provide mature, meaningful discussion about the Vancouver Canucks. However, we all need a break some time so this forum is basically for anything off-topic, off the wall, or to just get something off your chest! This forum is named after poster Creeper, who passed away in July of 2011 and was a long time member of the Canucks message board community.

i just began renovating a house this week in Kits. We'll be taking out the furnace, which is a medium efficiency, and replacing it with a boiler. If anyone wants it, come and get it. It runs on gas and is maybe, ten years old, tops.

Make me an offer I can't refuse.

Oh, and carpentry is my trade if anyone has any questions. I specialize in reno's.

I want to get a new top of the line furnace, air conditioning unit and a HEPA filter system installed. That part is easy! Where things get tricky is... I don't want to pay for any of it! Any ideas? Tips on how to rip off HVAC guys?!?!

You cant. Reno's is the ONLY place us tradesmen make money. If your happy with the layout of your system and its a 6hr job, in and out with the air handler you should be under $5K, but I am not sure how big of a unit you need. Plus, I see all the toys you buy your boy! You're loaded Saskabush!

The shitty thing is heat pumps/ductless splits and air handlers are all exp. The good thing is, *most* provinces have rebates for the energry efficient upgrades you would be doing. Including HP's/Air Handlers.

I recently put a Daikin heat pump (ductless split - which are hugely popular in Europe not sure why they havent caught on here) in my rents house (1600 sq ft, weird configuration) and it replaced their gas FP as well as gave them AC in the summer. Total cost with rebate: $800. Now, of course I got a steal of a deal but if your in an old house and not doing a huge reno (drywall, ducting etc) its a great option and the amp draw on these when running is less than your baseboards so you save $$$$$$$. Pay for itself (depending on the size of your place in two-three years.)

Basically it is a wall mounted unit with a one or more "heads" (fans) attached to a very small heat pump outside (very small....if you have a normal heat pump, you'll be amazed).

The cool thing about them is they have a remote for you OD, and a sensor that scans the room(s) they are in and change temp like one of those infared guns you used to use when you worked at Safeway in the freezer isle.

RoyalDude wrote:Yes, 'Forced Air'. Were considering radiant floor heating cause owner was considereing finished concrete flooring but architect talked client out of it. It's a rancher and the mech area will be in the new addition crawl space whereby we will pour a slab. Some parts of the existing crawl has dirt some has concrete. Client wants existing crawl to be all slab. Should be done before HVAC/Plumbing system is started. How many rooms? 6 around there. Do you know costs on the different types 'efficiency levels' that can be used, from best to poor? I know that is an extremely loaded question without looking at plans.

BTW, currently going through my first experience on a build where an Air to Liquid Heat Pump system is being installed. Man, that's a cool system, bloody expensive. It's taking me awhile to wrap my head around how it actually works.

As for the runs into rooms, you need to know the sq ftg of the rooms to calc the size of heat in the room, thus the size of the pipe/ducting. Depending on the amount of rooms and sq ftg you then make a reccomendation for the size of airhandler/hp to the client, and hopefully they want a quality system otherwise you end up putting a couple of 4" runs in the living room when they should have been 6" etc....

Effeciency levels I kida talked about in my last post actually. There are rebates available in BC to upgrade for this type of stuff, need more info on what exactly you mean.

As for the Air to water, thats a cool system but it still invloves refridgerant and basically heats/cools the water @ the boiler and then distrubtes through the house. I'm 98% sure there is another exchanger needed to change the water temp to air but I havent actually installed one of those units. As well, I pretty sure you need a boiler AND and heat pump for those systems. So $$$$$ mega.

RoyalDude wrote:Yes, 'Forced Air'. Were considering radiant floor heating cause owner was considereing finished concrete flooring but architect talked client out of it. It's a rancher and the mech area will be in the new addition crawl space whereby we will pour a slab. Some parts of the existing crawl has dirt some has concrete. Client wants existing crawl to be all slab. Should be done before HVAC/Plumbing system is started. How many rooms? 6 around there. Do you know costs on the different types 'efficiency levels' that can be used, from best to poor? I know that is an extremely loaded question without looking at plans.

BTW, currently going through my first experience on a build where an Air to Liquid Heat Pump system is being installed. Man, that's a cool system, bloody expensive. It's taking me awhile to wrap my head around how it actually works.

As for the runs into rooms, you need to know the sq ftg of the rooms to calc the size of heat in the room, thus the size of the pipe/ducting. Depending on the amount of rooms and sq ftg you then make a reccomendation for the size of airhandler/hp to the client, and hopefully they want a quality system otherwise you end up putting a couple of 4" runs in the living room when they should have been 6" etc....

Effeciency levels I kida talked about in my last post actually. There are rebates available in BC to upgrade for this type of stuff, need more info on what exactly you mean.

As for the Air to water, thats a cool system but it still invloves refridgerant and basically heats/cools the water @ the boiler and then distrubtes through the house. I'm 98% sure there is another exchanger needed to change the water temp to air but I havent actually installed one of those units. As well, I pretty sure you need a boiler AND and heat pump for those systems. So $$$$$ mega.

Might have to get you to quote on this job CFP. The Architect is consulting with a Mechanical Engineer and hopefully we will have a rough idea of what type of system to put in. Architect is also recommending Heat On Demand system for the water. Curious, you ever worked with the locally made product IBC Boilers and Air Handlers, if so, what's your opinion?

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

Heat on Demand is great if you have a family that goes through a lot of hot water, as its essentially endless hot water. But if you're expecting instant hot water, or reduced water bills, you're mistaken afaIc.

BCExpat wrote:I'm in the process of designing and building a bar in my basement. I'm looking at something tropical - like a Tiki bar. So, it'll have a lot of bamboo in it, grass paper, etc. I'll post a picture of it when I'm done.

To me, the most important part is what you serve and the company you keep. Here's my contribution: You supply some Belgian Tripels and i will supply the company. I wouldn't mind a Blonde as well (answer: yes and yes).

BOS wrote:Heat on Demand is great if you have a family that goes through a lot of hot water, as its essentially endless hot water. But if you're expecting instant hot water, or reduced water bills, you're mistaken afaIc.

Yes - we have 5 or 6 here and although there is a wait in some rooms, it beats having water tanks any day.

BCExpat wrote:I'm in the process of designing and building a bar in my basement. I'm looking at something tropical - like a Tiki bar. So, it'll have a lot of bamboo in it, grass paper, etc. I'll post a picture of it when I'm done.

To me, the most important part is what you serve and the company you keep. Here's my contribution: You supply some Belgian Tripels and i will supply the company. I wouldn't mind a Blonde as well (answer: yes and yes).

RoyalDude wrote:Might have to get you to quote on this job CFP. The Architect is consulting with a Mechanical Engineer and hopefully we will have a rough idea of what type of system to put in. Architect is also recommending Heat On Demand system for the water. Curious, you ever worked with the locally made product IBC Boilers and Air Handlers, if so, what's your opinion?

Sorry RD, have no expience with IBS - I mean IBC boilers and air handlers. Their website looks decent and its nice to see the evolution of effiency but I'm more of a straight up air to air, coil, condensor type of guy. Altho I'd love to get into the fridge side ASAP, bcs IMO I'm in a dying trade much like oil furnace guys.

But do let me know what type of system you are putting in, if anything maybe I can learn somthing from your exp. Otherwise, any q's on tin/duct size/etc lemme know.

I have a question on air conditioners. I have a place down in Phoenix, it's about 12 years old. The air conditioner still works well, but, I had it checked out this winter and the guy told me that it will only last a couple of years at best.

So, my question - should I just replace it with another air conditioner? or should I go with a heat pump? Also, are there any brands that I should stay away from? Are there any recommended brands? Thanks.